


If the Little Cat Shoe Fits

by UnholyHelbig



Series: Junksen Week 2018 [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, F/F, vampire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 19:04:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15588651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnholyHelbig/pseuds/UnholyHelbig
Summary: Junksen Week: Day TwoEmily Junk is the owner of a small bookstore in the city when she becomes infatuated with a mysterious customer.





	If the Little Cat Shoe Fits

**Author's Note:**

> I love this pairing, I love this au, I honestly just am a sucker for vampire fics- so please let me know what you think.

**Emily Junk was**  begrudgingly looking up how to cure a bad case of the fleas. The small little bugs nipped at her arms and tore past her clothes like they were practically setting up a little circus behind lines.

The little red bumps were necessarily annoying, but Emily was aggravated. Aggravated that she had tried everything from the little plastic collar to physically smoke bombing her house while she set up a sleeping bag up between the stacks of books in her own tiny shop (which was actually creepy at night, no matter how much she convinced herself that it wasn’t.)

What bothered her most was the fact that she still felt the urge to itch the little cat she had found out in the alleyway right under his tiny little chin, and behind his right ear that had a bit taken out of it when he was younger by something that Emily never felt the urge to face.

Scratches that cat was her weakness, all animals really, and that’s why he lounged quietly beside her as she leaned back into the desk chair that housed her. She was surrounded by second-hand books, the scent of aged paper filling her lungs each second as she scanned their barcodes into her neat little system.

It was a tiny place between a butcher shop and a bakery. Two stories filled with nothing but old literature and a couple of ratty chairs that Scratches would curl up in when the sun started peeking through the shop window. The pane of glass had gold lettering etched onto its front:  _Undercover Books._

She lived upstairs, a small apartment that smelled a lot like bug spray right about now. So she didn’t mind the long nights and the sleepless times where she would pull herself out of bed and curl up on the end of the couch only to shift through a novel that would captivate her attention.

It was quiet, and Emily didn’t mind it. She had scratches now, and there were a few customers that she had gotten to know through silent transactions. It was a bookstore after all- if she wasn’t at her old job as a librarian, then she would have to shush every single person who took a breath that was a little too loud.

The black cat’s fern eyes flicked towards the door the second the bell rang- it’s tail flicking back and forth as he settled deeper into the surface under him. Emily glanced up over her thick-rimmed glasses, blinking a few times as she tried to get rid of the afterlight. There was only one customer that came in this late.

Aubrey had scared her the first time the two of them met; Emily hadn’t heard the bell, or even the young woman approaches the front desk. She was silent and alluring; her blonde hair falling over dark clothing that matched the light snow that begun to drift through the outside air. It made Emily thankful that she was inside.

The woman was cold to the touch, almost like she hadn’t been wearing gloves on her travels over to the shop, her eyes resembling those of Scratches himself- green and curious, so much so that they almost shined against the darkness. Her lips were a deep shade of pink and her skin was a deathly pale, but she was Aubrey. The woman who never knew what to read and only relied on Emily to give a shining recommendation of topics.

Emily flicked her eyes to the little white clock in the corner of her screen. It was nearly nine, too late for her to keep the open sign up, but somehow, she had lost track of time- and somehow she really didn’t’ mind that Aubrey was the one to walk through her door at this hour.

Scratches raised his hackles, just like he always seemed to do around her, he let out a small rumble of a sound- and Emily had to silently run her fingers down his back in order to keep him from getting too worked up, though, Aubrey didn’t’ really seem too bothered about it.

“Your cat really hates me, huh?”

“Oh,” Emily flushed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other “He isn’t my cat.”

Aubrey cocked an eyebrow, an amused smile on her face. Emily wanted to melt into a puddle right then and there. The girl's lip quirked up ever so slightly, her right hand pressing against the edge of the counter. The feline to her side crouched lower to the counter, but again, Aubrey didn’t’ react.

“I mean he is, I just he’s not, I didn’t raise him from birth or anything like that. That’d be weird. I just found him… In the alley over here. I didn’t see much of a point in letting him freeze.”

“That’s very kind of you, Emily.” Aubrey all but purred “Not many people would be so accepting of a black cat.”

“Well, they might actually be bad luck.” She scratched the bottom of the cat's chin, earning a slight happy vibration from the pet “Considering this little guy is wracking up the vet bills.”

Aubrey chuckled, “I must admit, Emily, Scratches looks a lot like Francis.”

The brunette widened her eyes wickedly. She was shocked that the woman across from her had even cracked the book that she had slid into a paper bag last week. She had always staked claim to being a fast reader- and always scanned  _anything_ that Emily recommended. But even now, she couldn’t’ cope with the feeling of warmth that filled her stomach.

“You’re comparing my sweet little angel to a murderous house cat in Nazi Germany?”

“If the little cat shoe fits.”

Emily giggled. It was a light an airy sound that filled the quaint little bookstore. Aubrey rolled her shoulders back contently like she was proud of making the girl emit that type of sound “Have you got any new recommendations?”

The brunette beamed even more at the mention of books “I do, as a matter of fact, considering you read through the last one so quickly. Do you mind if I go for something with a little more length this time?”

“Not at all.”

“Good.”

She rounded the desk, Aubrey watching her every move with content as she wandered through the stacks of books- she walked past the Young Adult section, the murder mysteries, the paranormal adventures, finally stopping in front of the classics. She grasped a dusty old book with a red fabric spine and a navy covering;  _ANNO DRACULA._

Aubrey took the book sparingly, turning it over to get a good look at the gold lettering that graced the cover and gave her no insight into what actually was going on within the pages of the novel. Emily stood there, awkwardly biting her lip and rocking back and forth on her feet while Scratches watched her with ample tension.

“I never pegged you as a vampire girl, Emily?” Aubrey cocked a pointed brow, running her fingers against the spine. “Interesting.”

“Well… not like Twilight, or anything like that.” She scratched the back of her neck “I’m more of an Anne Rice kind of girl, but Kim Newman really is amazing at setting a scene.”

“How much do I owe you?” Aubrey gave her that trademark charming smile, Emily couldn’t’ help but stare at how perfect her features were- how captivating her mouth was when it moved- her canines pointed in a dazzling white that looked like a cascade commercial.

“Nothing,” She blurted out, maybe a little too fast. “It’s on the house.”

“Are you sure? Because it’s no problem, really.”

“I think you’re the only person who likes reading as much as I do, please, I insist.”

“Very well,” Aubrey lilted her head to the side before she gave a sparring glance at the black cat who looked like he got in a nasty street fight. She produced a small and timid wave before taking a few steps back and exiting the store- that little copper bell chiming in her absence.

 **Emily pulled the** small animal closer to her chest, smiling fondly at the way his little ear twitched when her breath caught it in the right angle. He let out a content sigh himself, the two of them cuddled up on a navy sleeping bag near the middle of the store between a few shelves of books.

Her hazel eyes scanned the spines of the books around her- titles that she had never read before, and ones that she really had a certain desire to curl up and crack open. But she scolded herself, knowing that it would be a long night if she wasn’t fast asleep on the floor soon. The apartment upstairs still smelling heavily of chemicals that she didn’t feel the immediate need to chance with.

She was drifting to sleep, the hushed purrs that Scratches let out was enough to lull her into a state of calm that made her forget her uncomfortable position, mind wondering as she fell into unconsciousness.  _Was that the bell? No._

Emily heard the chime, almost too clearly, but her thoughts were tired, and she didn’t’ feel too much alarm. Not right away, at first. Not until the feline tucked into her side started to stir in a way that was almost predatory. That’s when she decided to blink her eyes open- pulling in a musty and rushed breath as the shot her stare down to Scratches. His emerald eyes were squinted and angry at the door, the door that had a little bell waving back and forth like it had been disturbed. But Emily had locked it- she always locked it.

She peeked around the corner, heart pounding in her chest as she dug her fingers into the mahogany of the shelf. She wasn’t sure what she expected to see- her mind playing tricks on her, maybe? Running with the same type of story that surrounded her now.

The last thing that she expected was Aubrey.

The blonde was slumped up near the frame, her own chest heaving up and down as she clenched her eyes shut. She was applying pressure to her mid-section, hugging herself closer as her back slid down the wall. She looked like she was in pain; a sharp line of crimson along the edge of her rose-colored lips. She looked like a porcelain doll that had been damaged with red nail polish, almost too costumed to be real. 

Emily let out a breath, one that was apparently just as loud to Aubrey as it was to hers. The girl’s sage eyes shot open, meeting directly with Emily’s. She wanted to cower, to freeze under the icy stare that seemed to soften from shock to admiration, to pain. A lot of pain that was clearly physically.

Scratches let out a strangled yowl, something that Emily shoved off as she practically half-crawled over to Aubrey’s side. Her first question should have been about how the girl got into her shop in the first place. But instead, she sat back on her heels, letting the waistband of her sweatpants crush the smooth skin of her stomach.

“You’re bleeding,”

“Not,” Aubrey took a painful gulp, searching frantically over Emily’s kind features “Not my blood.”

This took her aback, the girl let out a thick breath. Aubrey looked like she was in incredible agony, her chest heaving up and down. The younger girl reached to brush hair out of Aubrey’s face, a few straw-colored strands stuck to the mess of caked blood on the corner of her lips. She was startled at the soft touch that met hers, holding her wrist into place.

“You’re hurt,” She whispered.

“I’ll survive.” Aubrey blinked rapidly “But if you don’t… why aren’t you home?”

“This is my home, well upstairs really.” She shook her head frantically “That’s not the point. What the hell happened?”

She didn’t’ get an immediate response out of Aubrey. Instead, the girl struggled to pull air into her lungs loudly for a few moments more. It pained her to see the woman so upset, in so much discomfort. “You must understand that I am not like you, Emily.” She rasped “I’m not like most.”

The younger girl stayed quiet, searching for an explanation as Aubrey slowly lowered her hand back down to her lap. She went to retract her touch, but Emily didn’t’ let her go that easily- instead, she reached blindly and held onto cold fingers that were covered in a rustic blood. She as a rock, listening to the woman’s explanation.

“The reason I can read your recommendations so easily,” She struggled, not sure where to place her words “I was present when most of the literature was written. Released to the public. I’ve read them all before… well, except for Anno Dracula.”  

Emily sat back on her heels once more, ignoring the burn that it placed on her legs. She blinked slowly, staring at Aubrey in wonderment. Maybe she was too exhausted to question or saw the pained look in the woman’s eyes. “Well, I suppose it would be quite marginalizing to your people.”

Aubrey let out a laugh, it was more of a bark really, one that ended in a coughing fit. It brought tears to the woman’s eyes as she almost doubled over in pain. Her body stiffed, as she drew in a careful breath. Emily had found herself almost wrapped around the woman, hand resting with assurance on her back as she rubbed small circles into the sweat-stained fabric.

“This isn’t your blood,” Emily mirrored, not backing away at the realization “What… what happened?”

“We pay,” Aubrey swallowed thickly, dragging her free hand along the base of her nose. Emily had never seen her look so upset, so unprofessional. Each time she walked through those doors she was her best self. “For donors, or blood bags I don’t-“She tapped her temple “I’m fuzzy,”

“take your time.” Emily lulled, trying to keep the woman calm. Most of this wasn’t’ making much sense to her- but some part of her believed Aubrey. It wasn’t something of fiction, wasn’t something that she had to fact check. The pale complexion and pointed teeth were enough to convince the woman that this was some elaborate nightmare or a dream that allowed her to get close to the customer that she was pining over for years now. Someone who didn’t’ look like she aged, now that Emily thinks about it.

“There is a club down the street from here, Vein. Ironic.” She chuckled dryly “We have clients there- they get off, well, feel things when we feed on them. And I guess” Aubrey stalled “I pissed a few prominent people off.”

“Someone did this to you?” Emily squeaked out.

“Not someone dangerous.” She reassured her “Cowards that spiked the girls drink. It spiked mine too… this uh, this is from an herb.”

Emily nodded thoughtfully. She had gotten sick, it explained the dark circles under her eyes and the way that Aubrey shook. There was sweat building at her hairline and her fingers trembled. It wasn’t something of fear, it was something of illness. “It’s like swallowing acid, it makes me weak.”

The brunette let her shoulders slump, pressing her back closer into the wall next to Aubrey’s. No wonder the girl had rushed into here so quickly. That nightclub was right down the street, and it left her open to something more the second she dug her fangs into the girl’s vein.

“you don’t seem disturbed.”

“Oh, I am.” Emily blinked a few times “But it doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go back out there when you’re in this state.”

Aubrey blew out a puff of air, shaking her head as she rested it against the surface behind her. She flicked her stare down at the hand that still held hers. She squeezed it slightly. Trying not to let the discomfort overtake her as she forgot about the metallic taste lodged in her throat.

“Is this why my cat doesn’t like you?” Emily lowered her head to rest it on the girl's shoulder, breathing in her earthy scent. “Because you’re basically undead?”

“Well,” Aubrey let out a content sigh “If the little cat shoe fits.”    


End file.
